Show-case.



Patented Nov. I2, I90]. 0. F. MURRAY.

SHOW CASE.

(Application filed May 11, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(N0 Model.)

Patented Nov. l2, l90l.

2 Sha -Sheet 2.

S H 0W 0 A S E.

(Application filed May 11, 1898.)

C. F. MURRAY.

(No Model.)

m a a a m a a w w l a a M a M a l m a a M wow-undo" WASHINGTON n c I III'II A v UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

CHARLES F. MURRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,320, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed May 11, 1898. Serial No. 680,428. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

' Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Show-Gases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in show-cases for storing and displaying goods or other articles; and the objects of the improvements are, first, to provide means whereby the top and sides thereof may be con structed wholly of glass and by which the usual opaque framing at the joining angles of the glass may be wholly discarded; second, to provide means for readily disassembling the various parts of the show-case for packing and shipment, and, third, that broken panes of glass may be readily replaced in case of accident. I attain these results by the devices aud construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which like letters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a case constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a clam ping-plate for fastening the glass sides of my case together. Fig. 3 represents a broken portion of the same to show an alternative construction thereof. Fig. i represents the upper righthand corner of Fig. 1, all other parts being broken away and the top plate 0 removed. Fig. .5 represents a broken corner from one of the end panes, showing the notch through which the arms of the clamping-plate pass. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line 1;. Fig. 7 is a sectional View of Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line w. Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view of Fig. 7, taken on the dotted line 00. Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view of the back and base of my device, all other parts being removed, taken on a line drawn through one of the attaching-hinges on line 10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 shows the clamping device by which the glass top is fastened to the case at the rear corners.

A in Fig. 1 represents the base of my improved case, on the upper side of which is a rabbeted groove at, extending across the ends and along the front edge thereof. The back B has a corresponding groove ct along its edges and is foldably attached to the base A by the hinges h h.

D is a pane of glass forming the front side and E E are panes forming, respectively, the

two ends of the case, said panes being bedded.

in the rabbeted grooves a and Ct of the base A and back B. The end panes E E are each provided on their upper edges, near the front of the case when assembled, with the small notch 8. (Shown in Fig. 5.) The front pane D is provided with a like notch on its upper edge a short distance from each end thereof and at about the same distance from the corner of the case as the notches in the end panes. A joining or clamping block (shown in Fig. 2) is used to hold the front and end plates in their relative positions. In the case shown in the drawings the panes are placed at right angles to each other,and the block b, as shown,

is shaped to fit the front angle thus formed within the case. Two arms I) 11 project from the angles of block b adjacent to the right angle and are of proper form and length to pass through the notches e and are formed at the ends into lugs adapted to embrace and hold the adjacent plates in contact. It is evident that should it be desired to construct a case with different angles than shown the result can be obtained with substantially the same construction of the clamping-block, the angle thereof being fitted to the angle at which the glass panes meet. All the parts of the clampin g-block b may be integrally formed by shaping the material thereof to the form shown on the upper face of Fig. 2 and forming notches in the arms I) of sufficient width to embrace the glass plates, the portion of metal remaining forming the retaining-lugs. An alternative form of this clamping device is shown in Fig. 3, in which the arm I), having the slot j is adjustable to different thicknesses of glass by means of the screw 7:, which is threaded into the body of the block b and clamps the said arm thereupon.

In assembling the parts of my device, the

base and rear being hinged together and the glass plates being put in place in the grooves a a, as shown in Fig. 1, the block b is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 4, and a screw-rod d is inserted through the hole b and passed downward to the base of the case, into which it is screwed or otherwise securely fastened.

IOC

The top or cover plate may be then placed in position, in which it is held by the front clamps c c and rear clamps m m.

The front clamp 0 when used, although in many cases I do not consider it essential, is formed as shown in section in Fig. 6, being L-shaped and having the slotted aperture 0 in its longer arm. This arm is attached to the projecting arm of the clamping-block b by an adjustable screw 0, which passes through the slotted opening a and screws into the arm of the clamping-block b. The rear clamp on is applied at the rear upper corners of my improved case and fitted firmly to the glass top by means of the slotted openings 9t and the adjusting-screw 0.

If desired, this case may be made completely tight by attaching thin strips of felt or other like material to the contact edges of the respective glass panes.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. A clamping-block for show-case plates or panes fitted to the internal angle formed by the plates and having arms adjustably attached thereto, the said arms being adapted to reach beyond the said plates and embrace the same on the outer faces thereof, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with a show-case base and back, plates forming the ends and front of the case and having notches on the upper edge, and clamping-blocks fitted to the internal angles formed by said plates and provided with arms adapted to pass through the said notches and embrace the said plates on the outer faces thereof,substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination with a clamping-block for shoW-case-forming plates, having plateretaining arm's, an L-shaped clamp carried upon the latter and means for adjusting the same, substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with the base and back of a show-case, plates forming the front and ends of the case, clamping-blocks fitted to the internal angles formed by said plates and having adjustable arms adapted to reach beyond the said plates and embrace the same on the outer faces thereof, and means for securely connecting the said clamping-blocks to the case-base, substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with a show-case base and back, plates to form the ends and front of the case having notches on their upper edges, and clamping-blocks fitted to the internal angles formed by the said plates and provided with adjustable arms adapted to pass through the said notches and embrace the said plates on the outer faces thereof, substantially as shown and described.

6. In combination with a show-case base and back, plates to form the ends and front of the case having notches on their upper edges, and clamping-blocks fitted to the internal angles formed by the said plates and provided with adjustable arms adapted to pass through the said notches and embrace the said plates on the outer faces thereof, and means for connecting the said clamping-blocks to the case-base, substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with a show-case base and back, plates to form the ends and front of the case having notches on their upper edges, clamping-blocks fitted to the internal angles formed by the said plates and provided with arms adapted to pass through the said notches and embrace the said plates on the outer faces thereof, and means for securely connecting the said clamping-blocks to the case-base, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES F. MURRAY.

YVitnesses:

W. P. JOHNSON, W. A. IIOSEY. 

